Liberal Arts and Sciences
Ryan Lab
Led by Joseph Ryan · Biology
What we study
The Ryan Lab studies how marine animals like comb jellies and sea anemones have evolved, using genome sequencing, phylogenetic analysis, and experiments on physiology, development, behavior, and neurobiology. They combine field collection with lab work and computer models to explore evolution, regeneration, and adaptation.
What working here is like
- Wet lab
- Computational
- Marine organisms
- Coding required
- Projects
- 3
- Papers
- 5
Current projects
A novel regulatory gene promotes novel cell fate by suppressing ancestral fate in the sea anemone Nematostella vectensis
Identifies a gene that creates new cell types in a sea anemone by blocking old cell identities.
Single-cell atavism reveals an ancient mechanism of cell type diversification in a sea anemone
Shows that reactivating an old gene in a sea anemone can produce ancient cell types.
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The ctenophore Mnemiopsis leidyi deploys a rapid injury response dating back to the last common animal ancestor
Describes how a comb jelly quickly heals wounds, shedding light on early animal injury responses.
Summaries are written by AI in plain language from public symposium abstracts and may be imperfect.
Recent papers, explained
- Genomic signatures of speciation and adaptation in the ctenophore Mnemiopsis
2026 · BMC Biology
Studies how the ctenophore Mnemiopsis leidyi genome changes during evolution.
- Patterns of Conservation and Loss of Hox Genes in Xenacoelomorph Lineage Since Divergence From Last Common Bilaterian Ancestor
2026 · Genome Biology and Evolution
Examines how Hox genes changed in early marine worms.
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- Additional file 1 of Genomic signatures of speciation and adaptation in the ctenophore Mnemiopsis
2026 · Figshare
Provides data on Mnemiopsis leidyi populations and genome differences.
- Molecular and electrophysiological properties underlying calcium signaling in muscle cells of ctenophores
2026 · BMC Biology
Shows how ctenophore muscle cells detect and process signals using voltage-gated channels.
- Repeatome diversity in sea anemone genomics (Cnidaria: Actiniaria) based on the Actiniaria-REPlib library
2025 · BMC Genomics
Creates a library of repetitive DNA sequences in sea anemones.
Plain-language summaries are AI-written and reviewed by us; check the paper for details.
How to reach out
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